Gary O’Neil could sell three players to raise funds to improve his team’s depth…
Wolverhampton Wanderers appear to be on the right track under Gary O’Neil, who took over the Midlands club just four days before their 2023/24 Premier League debut after a trial period at Molineux.
After the club was hit with the revelation of the extent of their financial fair play (FFP) struggles, the Englishman faced an uphill battle to get his depleted squad firing in the top flight, but things finally look to be looking up for the Old Gold.
Despite sitting comfortably in 12th place in the table after 12 games, O’Neil claimed that his side is “£80m short” in quality after a sale-heavy summer in which some of the Midlands side’s heroes were offloaded in order to generate vital profit.
Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Wolves are expected to make “one or two” signings at most, according to The Athletic’s Steve Madeley, who also explained that the club will still have “restrictions on spending” due to FFP constraints in the winter.
Wolves will prioritize their search for a striker, according to Madeley, with the format of incomings set to be loan deals with an option or obligation to buy, with next summer set to be a far “freer to spend” environment in terms of FFP.
However, sales could occur in January, which, like the summer climate, could free up additional funds to welcome new additions to the squad, with some players already being mentioned as potential exits.
1Fabio Silva
With speculation pointing to Wolves looking for a striker in January, Fabio Silva, 21, could be on his way out.
The Portuguese prospect arrived in the Midlands in 2020, having moved from Porto for a whopping £35.6 million at the age of 18.
Despite making headlines in Portugal for his goal-scoring ability in Porto’s youth team, the forward has struggled to adjust to life at Wolves, casting doubt on his future.
Silva has scored just five goals in 75 appearances for the Old Gold’s senior team, paving the way for the club to loan out their promising asset in the 2022/23 season to gain experience.
After scoring 16 goals in two separate loan spells with Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven last season, there was optimism that the youngster could return to Molineux and continue his scoring streak.
The Portugal U21 sensation, once lauded as “terrific” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is still answering questions about his Premier League suitability, with transfer insider Dean Jones telling GIVEMESPORT that his time in the Midlands could soon be up.
Jones stated that “nothing is going his [Silva’s] way” in England, adding that it “wouldn’t surprise” him if talks about the forward leaving Wolves arose in January, making him a player who could be axed this winter.
While the striker’s value has fallen to €16.2 million (£14 million), a far cry from the fee the club paid to sign him, selling him for the right price could free up funds for O’Neil’s side to pursue more suitable candidates to lead the line in his place.
2Pablo Sarabia
Pablo Sarabia, who joined Wolves just a year ago, could be another player targeted for a sale this winter after failing to show his best form in order to secure consistent game time.
Signed in January from Paris Saint-Germain, the Spaniard has struggled to find a place in O’Neil’s side due to the emergence of Pedro Neto in his preferred right-wing position.
The 31-year-old has scored twice in 21 appearances, with his second coming earlier this month in a match-winning cameo against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Sarabia, who has only started two league games this season, is unlikely to be in the manager’s future plans, with his age and inability to compete with the first-choice names in the squad making him a potential point of sale in January.
Rumours about his future surfaced in September, when journalist Ben Jacobs reported that Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia were interested in signing the former Spain international.
According to Football Transfers, the Real Madrid academy graduate is worth €10.6 million (£9 million), which could represent a slight profit from the £4.4 million Wolves paid PSG for his services earlier this year if the right buyer is found.
3Pedro Neto
Perhaps not surprisingly, if Wolves sell the winger in the near future, Pedro Neto could be the main source of profit.
The Portuguese forward has had an explosive start to the 2023/24 season, recording seven assists and topping the Premier League charts in that category to emerge as the league’s top creator thus far.
It took a while for the 23-year-old to find his footing in England, with injuries slowing his progress, but he now appears to have found his place under O’Neil.
Because of his form, the winger has been linked with a move away from Molineux, with Football Transfers naming Arsenal as one of the potential suitors hoping to pry the dynamic playmaker away from Wolves in the future.
While the Old Gold would obviously prefer to keep their top talent, the report speculated that the club values their star at up to £70 million, raising the question of whether such a profit would justify his departure.
On deadline day, O’Neil reluctantly said goodbye to Matheus Nunes, with the £53m offer too tempting to turn down, allowing the manager to welcome some much-needed quality to add to his squad’s depth.
A similar offer could sway Neto and Wolves to part ways, as the squad is still short on numbers, but the Portugal international reportedly told the club that he would not be looking to leave in January.
Only time will tell if the winger keeps his word in the New Year, especially if another club expresses serious interest in his services and offers an attractive fee to match.
